Perhaps employees don’t say this out loud, but it’s often a question that comes to mind:  Why should I get involved in CSR programs?  Most employees already work 40 hours a week, so devoting a hour of volunteering is just as valuable as donating $100 (both being as equally challenging  to extract).  But we know an inherent ‘generous’ attitude exists for us as human beings, so how can we stimulate this generosity?  

This edition of CSRinsights passes along some best practices and insights on how to incentivize employees to join your corporate social responsibility programs and initiatives, which ultimately drive engagement and the bottom business line.  

1. Make Your Programs Viral

There’s a reason why employees may not be participating…they don’t understand how to!  Frequently, employees aren’t even aware of programs taking place, leaving them confused and/or absent from volunteer and giving programs.

Therefore, the crucial first step (communication) should start at the top and ripple towards the bottom, with peer to peer encouragement happening in between.  You should yearn to make your programs viral with three simple communication methods in mind: Make it Simple, Make it Good and Make it Matter.

Make your programs viral and something worth talking about.  If you think you’ve communicated your programs, communicate some more!  Senior executives  can outreach to middle management about employee volunteering and giving programs, which encourages middle management to educate employees.  This initial top to bottom communication tactic eases employees  to become knowledgeable in programs, increases viral peer-to-peer discussion and creates social incentives to donate something, do something or volunteer for the first time.   

"For those who do not participate, more than three-quarters say that understanding the program and how it works would motivate them to participate, according to LBG Associates and LBG Research Institute, a community involvement research firm and publisher of “Motivating Volunteering in Tough Times,” 2009."

2. Create Program ‘Cheerleaders’ that offer Spirit and Support

Wouldn’t it be great if you had internal ‘cheerleaders’ to incentivize and motivate other employees to participate?  As talked about earlier, they could increase viral communication about programs by enthusiastically talking about the latest volunteer project or fundraising venture.

Though we refer to the word “cheerleader” because we think it serves better metaphorically, these program leaders are better known as “Champions” throughout corporations  because they do so much more than spread do-good energy that motivates others.  They, literally, serve as  program resources that can answer peers’ questions and concerns, as well as, provide any additional training for internal CSR programs and/or tools.

For example, Dell builds a strong 400+ team of engaged Champions who serve as the programs viral leaders.  Those leaders spearhead group challenges, create global volunteer recognition programs and utilize messaging tools to entice employees to become more engaged.

In addition, Cummins Inc. utilizes Community Needs Assessment Leaders to evaluate the possible intersections of skills that can be offered relative to the specific needs of a community.  They assign leaders (volunteers) across the globe to assess the community needs and design proactive, specific programs for that area to carry out Cummins community involvement initiatives.

3. Match and Multiply the Impact

Matching gift programs may be one of the most well-known ways to incentivize employees, so we won’t talk too much about it. If you currently have a matching program in place, you know it’s a sure way to attract and engage employees because their donation will immediately multiply its impact.  But we have some refresh tips for you as well,  so don’t skim just yet.

Year-round matching, workplace giving campaigns and disaster relief matching programs are a few matching tools to incentivize employees to give monetarily, especially if volunteering time is tough to fit in schedules.   If your matching programs are a bit dated, try amending matching eligibility requirements to part time and retiree employees; use communication tools to raise alertness and support; and expand matching to payroll deduction and mobile to increase giving/matching contributions year-round.  

"On the rise, disaster relief matching programs have played a major role in donations from employees in recent past years, increasing from 1% in 2009 to 7% in 2010, according to CECP “Giving in Numbers 2011."

4. Leave the Door Wide-Open for Volunteering

Gateway , by definition, is a means of entry or access.  Therefore, Gateway Volunteering is a tactic by which you can create a company-wide single day, week or month(s) event dedicated to making volunteering accessible to all employees – old and new.  Gateway Volunteering acts as an open door that recruits first-time volunteers to engage in a new experience with ease and allows for experienced volunteers to stay involved and engaged due to the company’s culture.

To exemplify, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) dedicates the whole month of October to global volunteering.  In 2010, they hosted their first annual global volunteer month.  As a result, a thirty percent increase from 2009 inspired employees to volunteer in fifteen AMD sites. 

"21% of employees stated that they would not be a volunteer if it weren’t for their employer’s encouragement, according to Society for Human Resource Management. 75% of employees want to get involved in their company’s cause-related efforts through company-sponsored volunteer days, according to Cone’s “2010 Cause Evolution Study."   

5. Tap into Creative Competitions and Gamification

Most individuals possess a natural competitive drive within them.  Definitely, as CSR leaders, we should tap into that.  Companies must make engagement into a fun challenge, using game-based schemes (gamification) to increase donations and enhance commitment to a cause while also making participating interactive and rewarding.  A high-fan fare campaign, challenge or contest can help build a volunteer-friendly workplace culture, according to BCC “Mapping Success in Employee Volunteering.”  

Establishing  a contest increases engagement because an individual gain of satisfaction and/or motivation occurs when an employee compares their performance to others.  Take, for example, the following volunteering competition:  a one-time challenge where different business units compete and volunteer 25 hours in a certain amount of time to receive a $1,000 grant donation to the non-profit of their choice.  It uses gamification to rally up awareness, interest, competition and engagement.   

"Gamification drives engagement and enables people to view and compare their  real-time standing with peers.  This influences their peers and/or gets them to consider donating something, doing something or going somewhere for the first time, according to JWT “Social Good Trend Report."  

6. Dollars-for-Doers, With No Time to “Do”

Dollars-for-Doers, the act of a corporation giving to nonprofits in recognition of employee-volunteer service, is the most frequent employee-volunteer program used by companies this year, according to CECP “Giving in Numbers 2011.” 

The program may seem as if it does not increase employee engagement or popularity amongst employees due to a low median percentage of employees participating (7%).  However, there was an increase from 2010 when the median percentage of employees participating was just at 3% (CECP “Giving in Numbers 2011”). 

Dollars-for-Doers should not be criticized as an employee-volunteer program incapable of working, for there is another reason why employees do not volunteer -- lack of time.  Seventy percent reported they do not have enough time to volunteer (2011 Deloitte Volunteer IMPACT Survey). 

Since, the minimum threshold to be eligible for Dollars-for-Doers is usually 40-50 volunteer hours a year, we propose creating a lower threshold of eligibility hours.  As noted, not all employees have the extra amount of time to volunteer.  Thus, decreasing the threshold for Dollars-for-Doers motivates and enables more employees to volunteer in their local communities. 

7. Volunteering on the Clock

You’ve seen the dismay of working 40+ hours a week and then packing on more hours of volunteering.  But what if you made volunteering part of the work day?  Paid time off provides employees an incentive to receive a day off from a regular day-to-day work schedule and help a cause they care about.  

Most CSR leaders feel like they might have a hard time selling this one, but if you look at the numbers, it’s an increasingly popular initiative program.  By managing a maximum or minimum threshold of volunteer hours and putting in place parameters, paid-time off volunteering is not so off-the-wall thinking anymore.  In fact, the program is quite successful , allowing for a new influx of employees (especially those that lack the time) to join the CSR initiatives.  Not to mention, there are plenty of business perks to gain from volunteering with coworkers, including the harnessing of communication skills, leadership and teamwork.

"59% of companies offer a formal paid-release-time program, according to CECP “Giving in Numbers 2011."

Company: Hanes
Cause: Human Services
Partners: Salvation Army
Website: www.Facebook.com/Hanes

Program of Action

Hanes® kicked off their third annual Virtual Sock Drive this holiday season to benefit The Salvation Army. For every person who visits Hanes’ Facebook page and clicks on the “donate now” button, Hanes donates up to 250,000 pairs of socks from November 14 until December 12.   

Best Practices 

Homelessness is not a common cause in cause-marketing campaigns.  Instead, many brands get involved with children, animals, troops, and health.  However, it makes sense for Hanes to choose homeless for they are the number one apparel in America and socks are the number one needed item among the homeless community.  Hanes contributing product donations rather than donating money or meals this holiday season allows them to physically and literally share comfort to those in need.  Product donations have grown by 39% since 2007 and will continue to rise, according to CECP Giving in Numbers 2011. 

To commence the campaign, Hanes partnered with The Salvation Army and released a video of individuals handing out socks to Los Angeles' Skid Row homeless, showing the impact a pair of socks can do for an individual in need.  The video promotes the emotional aspect of the campaign that grabs the consumers’ attention to participate and donate.  According to research, only 33% of companies integrate videos but more should use this tool in order to capture the consumers’ attention and draw them into the cause. 

In addition, Mark Horvath, creator of the project Invisible People, is shown in the video.  Horvath, who once was a homeless man himself, now dedicates himself as an advocate for the community.  He uses his story to raise awareness and teams up with brands to help support the homeless.  We recognize his efforts and his help in handing out socks for those in need with Hanes and The Salvation Army.  

Program Outcome

 Though Hanes donated a total of 1.7 million individual socks since the inaugural effort in 2009, they should mention the number of individuals who received those pairs of socks.  This year their donation goal, with the help of their Facebook community, is 250,000 pairs of socks to be contributed to Salvation Army.  We encourage you to visit www.facebook.com/hanes and click “donate now” and make some ones holiday season a warm one.  

Your CM Aficionados,

Amy and Kassie

Check out our latest infographic supporting the incentives that help drive employee engagement in the workplace, which also correlates with our upcoming CSRinsights. 

Happy Monday,
The YourCause Team

Company: Pepto Bismol
Cause: Hunger
Partners: Feeding America
Website: www.Facebook.com/peptobismol

Pepto Bismol kicked off their first-ever campaign, Feast for All, where one click (via Facebook) donates an equivalency of eight meals through November 8^th – December 1^st. They partnered up with Eric Stonestreet from ABC’s Modern Family and Feeding America to help reach their goal of donating two million meals.

Pepto Bismol is a brand known to cure overindulgence, and in the midst of eating turkey, stuffing, and pecan pie Pepto Bismol is there for a stomach remedy.  Therefore, launching a campaign during a food-centered holiday is an apt time to draw attention and help millions of Americans who don’t have the opportunity to eat a meal also indulge this holiday season.  

Best Practices

Holiday campaigns are one of the best times to launch because three times as many people make donations during this time. Pepto Bismol has made it easy for consumers to give back during this giving season, by simply clicking “Like” to donate eight meals for those in need.  You can also see the totaling amounts on their real-time tracker.

Pepto Bismol chose Eric Stonestreet as their celebrity spokesperson, which is a common tactic for cause marketing that seems to work. According to research, 35% of Americans believe that someone famous supporting a particular cause influences the amount of attention. Though celebrities may bring more awareness towards a campaign, the authenticity and personal connection must be in place for the campaign to succeed. Pepto Bismol recognizes the value of a holiday dinner with friends and family just as Eric’s role, a father and husband, portrays in the ABC sitcom.  Aligning the meaning of family and Thanksgiving with Eric Stonestreet encourages individuals to join in on the holiday spirit.       

We enjoy simple campaigns that draw high awareness and engagement – though the Feast for All campaign remains a little vague where meals will be distributed and how fast the donations will translate into meals.  All in all, they did provide an equation for impact (1 “like” is equivalent to $1 = 8 meals) leaving us with an idea how a viral online campaign can do some good through easy actions.    

Program Outcome

As of now, 559,384 meals will be donated to Feeding America.  Pepto Bismol still has time to reach their goal in donating two million meals by December 1^st, for the number is continually rising by the hour.  Help Pepto Bismol feed America by clicking this link, www.facebook.com/peptobismol, then “like” the turkey with no signing in required.  Every individual should have the chance to indulge in a delicious turkey dinner! 

Your CM Aficionados,

Amy and Kassie

Company: Starbucks
Cause: Economy
Partners: Opportunity Finance Network
Website: www.CreateJobsForUSA.org

Program of Action

Starbucks launched Create Jobs for USA to help create and sustain jobs throughout the United States. The campaign addresses the concerning unemployment rate at 9.1%, teaming up with Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) to pool donations from customers, employees, citizens and partners. Donors can donate $5 or more and receive a red, white, and blue wristband with the message “indivisible” symbolizing American pride.

Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) manages the nationwide fund for Create Jobs for USA.  It is a national network of community development financial institutions providing job opportunities to disadvantages communities across America.  OFN increases job growth in the most needed areas and sparks financial returns and changes for people and communities.

Best Practices   

With the current movement around OCCUPY, Starbucks has chosen relevant timing to engage consumers online and off to the economic and job crisis that’s capturing attention around the nation. The bracelet captures the American spirit and becomes a recognizable staple for the campaign in Americans helping Americans create jobs.  On the packaging, Starbucks provides a mobile barcode that directs donors to CreateJobsForUSA.org where they can see their impact and share their support.

We’re a fan of CreateJobsForUSA.org because of the social proof the content provides for the campaign. For example, visitors can view ‘Success Stories’ on an interactive map that shows real-life photos and stories of those who have benefitted from OFN’s grants to create or sustain jobs.  In addition, citizens have the ability to “Share Your Story” by discussing ideas on how communities can come together and help the job crisis or share an inspiring story on how the program can help a friend or neighbor get back on their feet. 

On the other hand, though success stories are listed on CreateJobsForUSA.org perhaps Starbucks can display how much consumers have contributed so far to the cause.  No ending date to the campaign is mentioned; therefore, setting a monthly or weekly tracker of how much impact is being made could attract more citizens to donate. 

Program Outcome   

Starbucks Foundation is contributing $5 million to Create Jobs for USA program.  On top of that $5 million, for every $3,000 donated through the program from consumers, a single job is created or maintained.  Therefore, the $5 million being contributed is sustaining or creating more than 1,600 jobs already.  In our effort to support the program we have bought our wristbands! Now, we encourage you to purchase one and show your support to inspire and help Americans get to working again.

Your CM Aficionados,

Amy and Kassie 

Company: Energizer

Cause: Safety
NPO Partners: International Fire Chiefs Association
Website: www.nowthatspositivenergy.com

Program of Action

For the past 23 years, Energizer has teamed up with International Fire Chiefs Association in donating more than four million batteries to local fire departments, while paving the way for other battery corporations (like Duracell) to do the same.  This year, Energizer’s annual program, Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery® kicked off on October 11th and finished on the ending of daylight savings time this past Saturday November 6th.  

Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery® reminds families and parents to not only change their time but also change their batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.  The campaign asks for individuals to pledge that they will change their smoke detector battery, make a fire escape plan, and spread the word.  In addition, Energizer established a sweepstakes, which for every person who pledges has a chance to win a $5,000 fire safety home makeover or be one of the 500 winners to receive a smoke/carbon monoxide detector.    

Best Practices

We commend Energizer at establishing Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery® for it is very important to check your safety and hope everyone did so.  Below are four positive actions we like about the program:

However, there are a few suggestions Energizer can improve on next year’s round:

Our team has put together an infographic that supports how charitable payroll deductions work, which is a follow up to our latest CSRinsights. 

Happy Monday,

The YourCause Team                                                                                                                     

YourCause clients, partners and other CSR leaders collaborated at CSRworks summit to share best practices and innovate on future program directions.

We hosted our first CSRworks summit at the Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) Lonestar Campus in Austin to bring innovation through collaboration among Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) leaders and partners. Attendees included more than 20 companies and organizations, including the facility host AMD, and other companies such as Hewlett Packard, Dell, AT&T, Medtronic, UnitedHealth, State Farm, Electronic Arts and others.  The collective group spent the day learning best practices, sharing challenges, and engaging in dialogue directed at utilizing technology to tackle some of the industries greatest domestic and international challenges. 

The morning began with an opening presentation by AMD, followed with a presentation covering the chronological history and development of YourCause.  Shortly thereafter, ‘session one’ began by breaking the participants into four groups and assigning specific topics to collaborate on. 

The four group topics for session one included:

• Delivering equal programs to all employees, all offices
• Creating incentives that drive engagement
• Building the ideal dashboard for users, admins and c-level
• Strategizing for greater connectivity with non-profit organizations

Between the sessions, the audience was able to hear from leaders representing YourCause partners (GlobalGiving, Network for Good, and Taproot Foundation) cover such topics as international vetting, domestic donation processing, and skills based/pro-bono volunteering respectively. 

The four group topics for the second session included:

• Optimizing international vetting
• Communicating employees programs successfully
• Planning CSRconnect 2012 product roadmap
• Integrating skills-based and pro-bono volunteering

Each collaborative session addressed main challenges, best practices and how technology can help administer more effective programs. YourCause and attendees walked away inspired and with tangible conclusions for future programs that will ripple more productivity and impact into communities.

Company: Kellogg's
Cause: Hunger
NPO Partners: Action for Healthy Kids
Website: www.ShareYourBreakfast.com

Program of Action

Kellogg’s launched the “Share Your Breakfast” campaign to help share one million breakfasts by the start of the 2011-2012 school year.  Every time an individual uploads a picture of their breakfast via text or computer from January 20, 2011 to July 31, 2011, Kellogg’s donates to Action for Healthy Kids’ breakfast program that supports children in need nationwide.

Best Practices

There two main reasons why we’re a fan of this campaign:

1) The strategic nonprofit partnership with Action for Healthy Kids

2) ShareYourBreakfast.com offers an engaging and informative user experience

First, when choosing a nonprofit partner, companies should be careful selecting an organization for brand reputation purposes. Action for Healthy Kids is certified as a four star charity by Charity Navigator and for good reasons such as their transparency on the amount of awards distributed to the schools. Kellogg’s partnership with Action for Healthy Kids allows them to strategically place their donations to qualified schools that are also obligated to construct an action plan for how the funds will be used.

Secondly, ShareYourBreakfast.com is an engaging website that also highlights information about their partnership. Kellogg’s shares key information on Action for Healthy Kids (e.g. one dollar donated equals five school breakfast) and hyperlinks to their website so consumers can learn more about the application process. In addition, ShareYourBreakfast.com has a simple user interface and communicates a sense of the impact via the site’s real-time breakfast upload tracker.

Program Outcome

The campaign ran from January 20 to July 31, 201 but school districts that receive Share Your Breakfast™ grants were recently notified on October 17th. Since individuals are still active on the site, we hope to see a program update on how much was donated during the campaign timeframe to understand the dollar amount translated into meals. As an extension to their partnership, they could promote the school districts’ project plans that resulted from Kellogg’s efforts to give back.

On another note, they were quite successful on the marketing front – reaching the mass market of moms (who make up 80% of household shopping). We googled “Kellogg’s Share Your Breakfast” and 6 out 10 post on the first page were mom bloggers. That comes to no surprise when 95% of moms find cause marketing acceptable versus 88% average consumer.

We are rooting for the Kellogg’s Share Your Breakfast campaign, as they can become one of the rare companies to share tangible outcomes from cause marketing efforts.

Your CM Aficionados,
Amy and Kassie